Network News

Even after two decades writing about the personal finance aspects of housing, Elizabeth Razzi finds there’s always more to talk about. Buying and selling, improving, insuring, squabbling with the homeowners association -- whatever the housing topic, let this be your virtual back fence.

Local Address: August 30, 2009 - September 5, 2009

This Labor Day finds nearly a 10th of the U.S. workforce looking for a job. We in the Washington area have it easier than most, considering our 6.2 percent unemployment rate, but as The Post reports, pay raises are likely to be scarce and skimpy.

Back in April I wrote that I was "not particularly worried" about swine flu. Now I'd like to revisit that. I'm still not worried--but I am resigned. And that gives me an extra incentive to bulk up provisions at home so we can ride out a bout with flu as the weather turns colder. What has raised my Domestic Threat Level to orange from yellow?

I recall a vivid dream I had--more than once--while in the midst of building a home addition. In my dream I found a new door in our unremodeled home, opened it, and discovered a great big room that I hadn't known was there. Why remodel with all that unfinished space? After the work was done, the dream went away. An architect friend of mine told me he's had a very similar dream while in the throes of remodeling.

Everybody's confused about how to claim the proper tax deduction for mortgage interest, according to a new report to Congress from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The fog enshrouds taxpayers, the IRS, paid preparers and the authors of tax-return software writers alike.